This course seeks to open a window onto French literature and culture by exploring the circulation of ideas in French and Francophone travel writing. We will pay attention to how authors make sense of their cultures by writing about distant places. We will study eyewitness testimony, armchair travel narratives, photography, and painting to critically consider how travel representations negotiate cultural differences and feelings of alienation and belonging. Keeping in mind that travel writing often served to reinforce French colonial rule, we will also address how these narratives have shaped power dynamics and global relations that are still relevant today

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 12

Prerequisites: Two units, FREN 210 or above.

Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring

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